>> it's a big deal. it's a new development obviously in these negotiations. we have to consider where these started with near unanimous agreement that the debt ceiling should be raised by both speaker boehner's office and the presidency. at first the white house was insists on a clean vote, now we've gone to the point where we're mimicking the bowles simpson plan. whether you're talking about raising the retirement age or means testing, for instance. those are major concessions that are going to rang wrangle a lot of democrats. >> why would the president go down this road when he has overwhelming support from the american people on medicare, medicaid and raising taxes on the wealthiest americans. why would the president go down this road? is he that fearful of a government shutdown? >> i think that's part of it. it would be cataclysmic if the government defaults on the debt. they like the idea of a big deal, they like to be the ones who are labelled as the serious deficit reducers. so i think they like that. >> let's remember the democratic leaders have said